BELMONT – The UNC Pembroke soccer team held a 15-7 advantage in shots over Belmont Abbey Thursday afternoon, but a pair of goals in the final two minutes of the opening half proved crucial in a 2-1 Crusader victory in non-conference, regional action.

MATCH INFORMATION
Score: UNC Pembroke 1, Belmont Abbey 2
Records: UNC Pembroke (2-2-0); Belmont Abbey (4-1-0)
Location: Alumni Field

HOW IT HAPPENED
Box Score/Play-by-Play

FIRST HALF
-After surviving a pair of corner kicks and a Crusader shot in the first seven minutes of action, the Black & Gold turned up the heat, accounting for five of the next six shots.
-The Braves' best chance of the first half came in the 14th minute when Kate Weisner attempted to chip a rebound over the keeper's head, but Belmont Abbey's Kaitlyn Paul hustled back and punched the ball over the crossbar.
-With just 120 ticks left on the clock, the match looked destined to enter the break scoreless, but the Crusaders struck in the 44th minute when reserve Allyson Elliott took a rebound and slipped it past Gina Ryan.
-Just 57 seconds later, Elliott upped the advantage to 2-0 when she beat Ryan in the upper right portion of the goal off a pass from Morgan Patton.

SECOND HALF
-The Black & Gold were once again in control in the second half, outshooting Belmont Abbey 9-2, and taking a trio of corners.
-Early in the 86th minute, freshman Alexis Pittman found an opening in the Crusader back line and fired a shot that snuck past Paul to cut the deficit in half. It was Pittman's first-collegiate goal and she is now second on the team with three points this season.
-UNCP's final chance came on a Kristina Stevenson shot in the 90th minute, but the attempt sailed wide left.
-The Crusaders made 12 substitutions in the final 30 minutes of the second half.

NOTABLES
-The Braves have not outshot their opponent 53-23 in the last three outings.
-Weisner led UNCP with three shots, while Pittman, Stevenson, Stacey Scott, Rilee Seering and Jasmine Senécal-Guzman each tacked on a pair of shot attempts.
-Ryan made three saves in net and this was just her fifth-career game allowing multiple goals in 22 appearances.
-Belmont Abbey's Morgan Patton assisted on both Elliott goals.

UP NEXT
The Braves lift the lid on Peach Belt Conference play Wednesday when they travel to Morrow, Georgia for a 7 p.m. tilt with Clayton State. The Lakers (2-1-0) have wins over Truett-McConnell and The Citadel and a loss to Valdosta State in the season's first three outings. Clayton State holds a 9-7-2 advantage in the all-time series over UNCP, but the Braves are winners of the last three, including a pair of victories last season.